under the baobab tree
coffee breaks & exposures to africa, mostlyArchive for ethiopia
donkey mobile library
Have you ever heard of donkey mobile library? If not, have a look at this inspiring clip from Awassa, Ethiopia, featuring Yohannes Gebregeorgis’ fantastic initiatives that help children in Ethiopia to have access to books also outside school. Gebregeorgis first opened a children’s library at his own home and has now gone mobile in rural areas. This idea is worth disseminating widely!
queen of sheba and solomon the king
I heard about Eyeluta & Kirkos first time in Axum, where I saw these personages depicted in a pocket-size icon. I was told that they belong to the famous gallery of historical characters often present in Ethiopian orthodox iconography, because according to their story they were once saved from furnace by the archangel Gabriel. Their story rings a familiar bell from the Old Testament, in which the King Nebuchadnezzar throws Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego into a burning furnace because they refuse to worship a golden statue made by the king. They too are miraculously saved from the fire by an angel. These convergences are simply fascinating! I am only wondering whether the Ethiopian version of Eyeluta & Kirkos can actually be found in Kebra Nagast, The Book of the Glory of Kings, which tells the history of the Solomonic dynasties. For a long time this book has been on my reading list… In Kebra Nagast you can update your knowledge on the famous encounter between the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon, which eventually leads to their son Menyelek’s smuggling the Ark of the Covenant from Jerusalem to Ethiopia. It appears that Solomon was quite a charmer:
“And she marvelled in her heart, and was utterly astonished in her mind, and she recognized in her understanding, and perceived very clearly with her eyes how admirable he was; and she wondered exceedingly because of what she saw and heard with him—how perfect he was in composure, and wise in understanding, and pleasant in graciousness, and commanding in stature. And she observed the subtlety of his voice, and the discreet utterances of his lips, and that he gave his commands with dignity, and that his replies were made quietly and with the fear of God. All these things she saw, and she was astonished at the abundance of his wisdom, and there was nothing whatsoever wanting in his word and speech, but everything that he spoke was perfect.”
Chapter 25: How the Queen came to Solomon the King. The Queen of Sheba and Her Only Son Menyelek (I) or, The KEBRA NAGAST (translated by E. A. Wallis Budge), London, 1932
saint george & the dragon
Quite recently I had the opportunity to attend the Ethiopian Good Friday service in one of the churches of Addis second year in a row. Again I was simply amazed by the tranquil atmosphere created by the praying ceremonies that were being exercised on the church yard throughout the day, accompanied by the fairly monotonous reading and singing of the priests who were in charge of the service. Spending time in Ethiopia during their Easter period is a little like entering the times described in the Bible. And it translates into more modern phenomena as well, such as fasting pizzas for instance!
I remember from my childhood that I always woke up in my bed staring straight into an icon hanging on the wall. The icon was brought into our house by an uncle who had been to Russia, and it depicted Saint George killing the dragon. In Ethiopian orthodox tradition, however, there is sometimes a third person watching over this dragon killing procedure: Saint Bula (my spelling may be incorrect). He is sitting up in a tree and looks down at the heroic action of his co-saint with jealousy, I was told. I suppose I should have a look at the Bible written in Geez to find out more about him and the reasons for jealousy. As it happens, he is not the only saint I am not so familiar with: Did you ever hear about Saint Tekle Haimanot, who spent seven years praying, standing on one leg?
ethiopian bunna
Much to my surprise, Sana’a is not impregnated by a strong coffee culture, despite the famous Yemeni coffee. Most of the time I sipped, like all Yemenis, the deliciously spicy shay ahmar, and I will miss those nightly culinary feasts of the Ramadan… and now that I am back, my home roasting career is about to get an extra boost with what I bought: Jimma, Harar, Sidamo, Limu, Yergacheffe and Lekemte. Time to indulge!
melkam addis amet!
Yesterday I was lucky enough to bump into a big group of Ethiopian priests in their full gear while they were getting off their coach. I wanted to wish them all a very happy new year but at that very moment my brain’s long term memory of the Amharic department was closed, so I greeted them in English instead. So here goes to all of you once more: melkam addis amet!
“Enkutatash (Ethiopian New Year) falls on September 1 Ethiopian calendar (September 11 Gregorian Calendar) at the end of the Ethiopian rain season and is called Enkutatash. September 1 is also celebrated to mark the commemoration of Saint John the Baptist. Enkutatash (Ethiopian New Year) is not only a religious holiday but it also a day for young boys and girls to sing and dance and for exchanging New Year greetings among urban and rural inhabitants.”
Source: Ethiopian Treasures
